Aug 5: 2 Corinthians 6

Their Ministry Commended

6 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— ² for He says,

“At a favorable time I listened to you,
And on a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”— ³ giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, ⁴ but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, ⁵ in beatings, in imprisonments, in mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, ⁶ in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, ⁷ in the word of truth, and in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, ⁸ by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; ⁹ as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold, we are alive; as punished and yetnot put to death, ¹⁰ as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

¹¹ Our mouth has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. ¹² You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. ¹³ Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

¹⁴ Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? ¹⁵ Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer share with an unbeliever?¹⁶ Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

“I will dwell among them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
¹⁷ Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
¹⁸ And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.